Chapter 1

Three years after my death, I was an absent guest at my own wedding.

My fiancé, Damon Blackwood—the heir to a massive, influential empire—declared passionately before all the media: "Three years ago, Anya saved me in my darkest hour."

"If only she would appear, I promise to eternally fund all expenses for the Anya's Home orphanage and sponsor the children's education through Ivy League schools."

My Mom called me dozens of times, getting no answer, and angrily cursed me as an ingrate.

My siblings, Leo and Chloe, also messaged, scolding: "Mom only has one biological child, you! Are you really going to hold a grudge against her even now?"

Suddenly, I was the cold-blooded monster everyone scorned.

It wasn't until after the wedding that the police found a chest freezer at the demolition site of the old Anya's Home orphanage.

My Mom, the orphanage's former director, finally discovered the truth.

The scattered remains of a woman inside were mine.

The body parts strewn across the ground made many guests throw up.

Seeing the streaks of gray at Mom's temples,my eyes welled up.

Three years ago, Mom’s orphanage was in financial straits.

Coincidentally, Damon Blackwood, the heir to a massive empire, proposed to me, promising a billion dollars in funding.

Mom accepted on my behalf.

That year, I had just started as a reporter, investigating a major case.

Following the trail, we found the Blackwood Corporation.

Before I could even share the good news with Mom, I was kidnapped and taken to Damon's secluded estate.

He tortured me for three months, cruelly dismembered my body, and stuffed me into a suitcase.

When Mom finally remembered to look for me, he claimed that I had left in a huff because of the arranged marriage and was traveling abroad.

Damon himself placed my body in the orphanage's chest freezer.

It remained hidden for three long years.

During those three years, the orphanage was rapidly demolished and abandoned.

A new orphanage was built in a better location.

The day the old orphanage was torn down, Damon mentioned he wanted to see me.

Mom sent me dozens of SnapChat messages, but there was no reply.

From then on, she grew to hate me.

She forbade anyone from speaking my name, searching for me, and even burned all my clothes and books.

She wanted to force me to admit my mistake and come home.

But my soul is trapped at the place where I was buried, cold and lonely, unable to be reincarnated.

Until now, the chest freezer was opened by Mom herself, finally seeing the light of day.

I could, at last, look at her one more time.

Like I did as a child, trying to touch Mom's hand, hoping she would recognize me.

But she frantically flipped through the names of all the orphans in the registry, comparing each one.

"Not Lily... not Rose... and not..."

"Phew... this person isn't one of our orphanage children."

"Director Hayes, think carefully, is there anyone you missed?"

Mom paused, her eyes serious. "What exactly happened?"

"This is the worst incident our city has seen in ten years! The victim was brutally tortured to death!"

Everyone present exchanged uneasy glances, fear and sympathy etched on their faces.

Mom sighed and shook her head.

Perhaps my spiritual call was too strong, because before leaving, she looked at my body several times.

But in the end, she didn't recognize me.

A bitter ache filled my heart, and I started to leave.

Then I saw Damon approach.

Mom quickly put on a smiling face, gazing at him adoringly. "Damon, dear, Mom is so sorry. The day of great joy has been turned into such an inauspicious mess. Anya is so childish, but luckily you're so magnanimous. Mom truly needs to thank you!"

My siblings, Leo and Chloe, also gathered around Damon, chattering and laughing. "Brother-in-law!"

"This case happened at the old orphanage, it won't affect our new one, will it?"

"Don't worry! My brother-in-law has vast magic powers. he can fix anything!"

Mom patted his hand affectionately. "Don't listen to these little rascals!"

"Damon, you must be tired. Come home, Mom will make your favorite ribs!"

"Mom is favoring Brother-in-law! I want some too!"

"Brother-in-law is so much better! Unlike that heartless Anya, who didn't even show up for her own wedding."

At the mention of my name, Mom suddenly froze.

"That body just now... it looked about Anya's age..."

She didn't finish before Damon, frowning, interrupted. "Mom, you're overthinking it!"

"Anya and I are still in contact. She's living it up abroad; she's just not ready to come home yet."

"Yeah, Sister is living the high life! Who cares about us, right?"

My siblings sneered, their words dripping with disgust.

Each word was a sharp knife piercing my heart.

In the past, I would have been heartbroken for a long time.

But now, my mind was a blank.

My gaze locked onto the emerald jade pendant hanging from Damon's neck.

Inside it, I knew, lay the truth of my death!